By Emily Griffin

Alas, for those associated with the Jewish faith, whether it be religiously or culturally, the day has arrived for sitting around, asking questions, playing games, and eating matzo ball soup. I’m talking about Passover.

One of the keys to celebrating Passover traditionally is to make your mother proud by literally burning any leavened products in your home, meaning anything that contains yeast. If our ancestors were forced to bake bread in the sun on their backs without yeast to help it rise (thus the creation of the flat crunchy bread we know as Matzah), then we should try and get pretty darn close to going through the same labor that they had to endure, right? Well, if you don’t have the time or patience to cleanse every spec of yeast that might be hidden in the crevasses of your cupboards and potentially sell it online (yes, that’s a thing) here are some ways you can get festive in Syracuse this week.

On the first night of Passover, tonight, March 30th, Hillel at Syracuse University will be hosting 425 students for a traditional Passover Sedar in the Carrier Dome. If you can’t make it then, they’re also hosting a seder in a more intimate setting on Saturday, March 31st at the Winnick Hillel Center located at 102 Walnut Place. And for SU students with meal plans, it’s only a swipe to get in!

The Syracuse Chabad on 825 Ostrom Avenue will be hosting various events throughout the weeklong holiday with the intent of “making the Jewish faith and customs accessible and relevant in today’s culture.” On March 30th they’ll be holding services at 7:15pm with a traditional seder following, and on March 31st there will be services at 10am and lunch served afterward along with evening services and another seder. Check out their website for more information about their festivities throughout next week.

If staying in and celebrating at home with your fam or friends sounds more appealing, and you have the patience and passion to cook your very own seder, here is a recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit that will make your whole apartment smell like your grandmutha is visiting from the old country!

Photo by Marta Stewart